DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5504#0084
1/2 Travels in Greece, Turkey, and the Holy Land,
addressed to them the parting wish. " May you pant after
" the sight of the camp of Ahmed, the son of Bahir, as the
" wearied traveller pants after that of the Oasis \" This pro-
ject, however, was soon disconcerted : the tumult had become
such in the streets of Jerusalem, that Ebn-Temym would not
consent to allow his guest to depart: lie even obliged him to
conceal himself beneath the vaults of the cistern, there to
wait a more favourable 'moment. After this precaution, he
ascended more tranquilly to Maryam, with whom he was con-
versing when a party of spahis came to seize him. He had
been denounced by a perfidious Greek, and was conducted to
the motsallam : his daughter never saw him more.
What little Ebn-Temym possessed was confiscated. Maryam,
in despair, hastened to throw herself at the feet of the su-
perior of the monks of the Holy Land, to conjure him to sue
for her father. The monastery was surrounded by soldiers,
and the monks menaced. "My daughter," said the most
reverend father to Maryam, "Our Lord has inflicted on us a
"deep wound, and you, of all the victims, are subjected to the
" severest trial: offer up your griefs to Him who, at this very
"spot, voluntarily drank of the cup, even unto the dregs:
" daughter of Jesus Chiist, your father is no more."
The wretched girl was ignorant of this deplorable loss : she
fell motionless. By the time she had recovered her senses,
she was surrounded by several Christian women, who wept,
and resisted her being taken before the governor. This man,
having been informed of the beauty of Mariam, was desirous
to present to the pacha of Damascus a gift sweet as in-
cense, and well worthy his acceptance. The prayers of the
monks, however, and their money, delayed this measure for
%a few hours. They were in hopes that they should be enabled
to shield the young Christian from all further inquiries, by
confiding her to the nuns of Bethelein ; but news was brought
in the evening that that city likewise had been delivered up to
the fury of the Mctoualis. Information M as at the same time
received, that the convent of Jerusalem, and the church of
the Holy Sepulchre, were to be forced in the night. From
that moment, every one betook himself to flight, as the only
resource. The women concealed themselves, with (heir chil-
dren, in the deep caverns containing the tombs of the kings
and judges. Courageous Christians scaled the walls, and
buried the most precious of the relics in the sands of the grotto
of Jeremiah, or in the depths of Siloc.
Dejected, dismayed, without any one to counsel her, and
without an asylum, Maryam returned fo Ismayl, whom she
found worn out with anxious expectation. When he heard
addressed to them the parting wish. " May you pant after
" the sight of the camp of Ahmed, the son of Bahir, as the
" wearied traveller pants after that of the Oasis \" This pro-
ject, however, was soon disconcerted : the tumult had become
such in the streets of Jerusalem, that Ebn-Temym would not
consent to allow his guest to depart: lie even obliged him to
conceal himself beneath the vaults of the cistern, there to
wait a more favourable 'moment. After this precaution, he
ascended more tranquilly to Maryam, with whom he was con-
versing when a party of spahis came to seize him. He had
been denounced by a perfidious Greek, and was conducted to
the motsallam : his daughter never saw him more.
What little Ebn-Temym possessed was confiscated. Maryam,
in despair, hastened to throw herself at the feet of the su-
perior of the monks of the Holy Land, to conjure him to sue
for her father. The monastery was surrounded by soldiers,
and the monks menaced. "My daughter," said the most
reverend father to Maryam, "Our Lord has inflicted on us a
"deep wound, and you, of all the victims, are subjected to the
" severest trial: offer up your griefs to Him who, at this very
"spot, voluntarily drank of the cup, even unto the dregs:
" daughter of Jesus Chiist, your father is no more."
The wretched girl was ignorant of this deplorable loss : she
fell motionless. By the time she had recovered her senses,
she was surrounded by several Christian women, who wept,
and resisted her being taken before the governor. This man,
having been informed of the beauty of Mariam, was desirous
to present to the pacha of Damascus a gift sweet as in-
cense, and well worthy his acceptance. The prayers of the
monks, however, and their money, delayed this measure for
%a few hours. They were in hopes that they should be enabled
to shield the young Christian from all further inquiries, by
confiding her to the nuns of Bethelein ; but news was brought
in the evening that that city likewise had been delivered up to
the fury of the Mctoualis. Information M as at the same time
received, that the convent of Jerusalem, and the church of
the Holy Sepulchre, were to be forced in the night. From
that moment, every one betook himself to flight, as the only
resource. The women concealed themselves, with (heir chil-
dren, in the deep caverns containing the tombs of the kings
and judges. Courageous Christians scaled the walls, and
buried the most precious of the relics in the sands of the grotto
of Jeremiah, or in the depths of Siloc.
Dejected, dismayed, without any one to counsel her, and
without an asylum, Maryam returned fo Ismayl, whom she
found worn out with anxious expectation. When he heard